US2396943A - Measuring spoon - Google Patents

Description

L. FRANK MEASURING sPooN `Filed June 12, 1944 INVENToR. ,(0 f s /Ce/V/v/f'.

Patented Mar. 19, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEASURING SPOON Louis Frank, FellowsQCalf.

vApl'iliieaton JunlZ, 1944, Serial No. 539,854

4 Claims. My invention relates to measuring spoons of the particular type employed for the vconvenient and accurate measurement of pulv'erized, powdered or granulated products used for culinary and medical purposes and has for its principal objects, to generally improve upon and simplify theconstruction of the existing forms of similar devices, and further, to provide a measuring 'spoon which is simple in construction, inexpensive'of manufacture and which is provided with convenient, readily operable means for leveling the surface of the contents of the spoon and thereby insure accuracy of the measuring functions.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a measuring spoon of my improved construction.

Fig, 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.-

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of the spoon. f

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section taken on the line l-l of Fig, 6.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing and particularly to the structure in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. I0 designates a straight straplike member which forms the handle of the spoon and formed integral with the forward end thereof is a spoon bowl I I.

Arranged for sliding movement on top of handle I is a plate I2, the forward end of which is formed as an integral loop I3 which passes around the rear portion of the spoon bowl I I.

Depending from the forward upper edge of loop I3 is an inclined plate I4, which has a sliding fit in the bowl. Hooks I5 depend from the sides of plate I2 at the rear end thereof and engage beneath the edges of handle I0 to maintain said plate in sliding engagement with said handle and pivoted to ears I6 on top of the rear portion of plate I2, is a thumb pressure lever II.

An expansive coil spring I8 is arranged between the rear portion of lever II and plate I2 and hinged to the forward end of said lever is the upper end of a latch pin I9, which passes downward through an aperture 20 in plate I'2.

When plate I2 is at its rearward limit of movementthe lower end of klatch pin I9 engages in an aperture 2I in handle I0 thus latching said plate to said'handle, and under such conditions the bowl may be used for measuring a definite amount of product, for instance, one tablespoonful.

Located in the forward portion of handle is a plurality of apertures 22, in the present instance, four, which are spaced apart vso as to receive the latch pin I9 when the plate I2 is moved forward to position plate I4 and thereby reduce the effective size of the bowl, when measuring one, three-quarters, one-half, or one-quarter of a teaspoonful.

Guide marks 23 spaced to correspond with the spacing of apertures 2I and 22 are'for'med on the upper face of handle I0, to the rear of said apertures and the rear end of sliding plate I2, cooperates with these guide marks so as to facilitate the correct or desired positioning of plate I'4 which controls the effective size of the spoon bowl.

Arranged for sliding movement beneath the forward portion of handle I0 is a plate 24, the forward end of which projects through coinciding apertures 25a in the rear wall of the bowl I I and plate I2 and carried by the forward end of said plate 24 is a cross arm 25 which rides on the upper edge of the sides of the bowl. 'I'his cross arm acts to level the surface of the product within the bowl` Connected to the rear end of plate 24 is one end of a retractile coil spring 26, the opposite end being connected to an ear 26EL depending from handle I0 and the body of said spring lying between two parallel protecting flanges 21, formed on the underside of said handle.

Hooks 28 are formed integral with and project upwardly from the rear portions of the side edges of plate 24 over the edges of plate I2, and projecting outwardly from the upright front edges of said hooks are ears 29 which are adapted to be engaged by the thumb and index finger of the users hand when plate 24 is moved forward to level 01T the upper surface of the product in the bowl II.

To operate the spoon, lever I'I is actuated to withdraw pin I9 from aperture 2Il and plate I2 may be moved forward to position plate I4 at the proper point in bowl II and as pressure on lever 'Ihe spoon is now manipulated to ll bowl ll and by engaging and moving ears 29 forward, the plate 24 and cross arm 25 are moved forward so that the latter travels over the top of the bowl and levels off the surface of the product therein.

As pressure on the ears is relieved, spring 26 will retract plate 24 and cross arm 25.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, 3! designates a straight strap handle, 3l a bowl, 32 a plate arranged for sliding movement on said handle and provided at its forward end with a loop 33 which surrounds and slides lengthwise on said bowl.

An inclined plate 34 on the forward end of` plate 32 has a sliding t in the bowl. A spring held latching detent 35, is pivoted on plate 32 and a depending pin 35a on the forward end of said detent is adapted to pass through an aperture 36 in plate 32 and engage in apertures 31 in handle 38, These apertures are spaced so as to vreceive pin 35a and thereby latch plate 32 to handle ,36, when plate 34 is at the rear end of bowl 3 l, or at dierent points lengthwise therein, thus enabling the spoon to measure a tablespoonful' of material or definite portions thereof, such as one teaspoonful or a quarter, a half or threequarters of teaspoonful.

In this construction the body of the product in the bowl may be 4leveled off with a knife blade, a fork or the like. y

The rear end of sliding plate 32 cooperates with guide marks 38 on the upper face of handle 30,

which marksare spaced to correspond with the spacing of the apertures 3l for adjusting the position of plate 34 in bowl 3l`.

By actuating detent 35 so as to withdraw pin 35a from the rear one of apertures 3l, plate 32 may be moved forward so as to position plate 34 at different predetermined positions in bowl 3|.

Loops Vi 3 and 33, which slide freely on the bowls H and 3l` respectively, are for the purpose of maintaining the forward portions of the sliding plates I2 and 32 in proper operative relation, particularly during sliding movement of the plates lengthwise of the bowls` Thus it will be seen that I have provided a measuring spoon which is simple in structure, inexpensive of manufacture, and very effective in performing the functions for which` it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various -parts of myimproved measuring spoon may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

Y 1. In a measuring spoon, the combination with a handle, a bowl on the forward end of said handle, a plate arranged for sliding movement on top of said handle, the forward end of which plate extends downward into said bowl, and

`means for latching said plate to said handle in different positions, of a spring held plate arranged for sliding movement on the underside of said handle, the forward portion of which spring held plate is arranged for sliding movement through apertures in the bowl and in the downwardly extending forward end of said first mentioned sliding plate and a cross arm carried by the forward end of said spring held plate and arranged for Vsliding movement on top of said bowl.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 including means on said handle for indicating the adjusted position of said first mentioned plate on said handle.

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